In Indian Mexico (1908) eBook

The scenery on the Tampico branch was at its best,
as there had been recent rains, and everything was
fresh and green. At Tampico, we resisted the
attractions of the hotels “where Americans always
stop,” and went to the unpretentious Pan Cardo.
Here we were comfortably located, and early the next
morning tried to define our plans. We were in
uncertainty as to what towns we should visit in order
to examine the Huaxtecs. The ancient Huaxtecs
were among the most interesting of Mexican tribes.
They are a northern offshoot of that great family,
of which the Maya of Yucatan is the type. The
linguistic relationship is evident upon the most careless
comparison. The ancient area occupied by the
Huaxtecs was near the Gulf of Mexico, and on both sides
of the Panuco River, near the mouth of which some
of their important centres were located. To-day
Mexicans divide the Huaxteca into two parts,—­the
Huaxteca Veracruzana and the Huaxteca Potosina—­the
former in the state of Vera Cruz, the latter in the
state of San Luis Potosi. At first, we thought
to visit the latter, but the difficulty of reaching
it was presented so forcibly, and the ease of reaching
the Huaxteca Veracruzana so emphasized, that we determined
upon the latter, and selected the town of Ozuluama
for our central point. We could go by canoes across
the river to Pueblo Viejo, where we could secure horses
for the further journey. We were led to believe
that it would be easy to make the trip in a single
day. We had arranged for a canoe over night.
It belonged in Pueblo Viejo, and it was to come over
early in the morning; we were at the wharf at six,
ready to start, but no canoe was in sight. Not
only so, but a norther was blowing, and comforters,
lounging on the wharf assured us that no canoe would
come from Pueblo Viejo until the storm ceased, which
would not be for twenty-four hours. We were loath
to believe this information, and brought all our baggage
from the various storing-places, where we had left
it, out onto the wharf. Time passed; the norther
continued, and no canoe from Pueblo Viejo came.
Thinking that it might be possible to secure a canoe
from here to Pueblo Viejo, we dickered with a boatman
at the wharf. We had agreed to pay for the canoe
ordered $1.00 for the journey, which was something
more than the regular price. The man with whom
we now were talking declared that he would not take
us across for less than $3.50. We were on the
point of yielding to necessity, when a rival appeared
and offered to do the work for $2.50. Such is
human perversity that we now insisted that he must
go for $2.00, which he finally agreed to do. Hurrying
away to get his canoe, he soon appeared, and our hearts
sank. The man who had demanded $3.50 had a large,
well-built boat, which should stand any wind and water.
The man whom we had engaged had a canoe so narrow,
low, and small that we doubted his ability to perform
his contract; however, he assured us that all would
be well, and showed himself so skilful in packing our